Basic Communication Skills

Dr.Damodharan
damodharan@xime.org

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ESTABLISHING RAPPORT

Field of Consciousness
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 How do you go about Establishing Rapport?

• You need Self-Confidence

• You must Understand People
• You must be Enthusiastic
• You must make Eye Contact
• You must be Interested in them

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Communication is a Series of Experiences of

Hearing Smell

Seeing
Touch
Taste

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 Communication - Meaning
Communication is a dynamic process…
• through this process we convey a thought or feeling to someone else.
• how it is received depends on a set of events, stimuli, that person is
exposed to.
• how you say what you say plays an important role in communication.

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TOTAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Writing
9% Speaking
30%
Reading
16%

Listening
45%
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 LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION

1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION

2. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

3. VISUAL COMMUNICATION

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 VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Verbal communication seems like the most obvious of the different
types of communication.
• It utilizes the spoken word, either face-to-face or remotely.
• Verbal communication is essential to most interactions.

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 NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Nonverbal communication provides some insight into a speaker’s
word choice.
• These things are often communicated through facial expressions,
hand gestures, posture and even appearance, all of which can convey
something about the speaker.
• For instance, a disheveled speaker with wrinkled clothes and poor
posture would communicate a lack of confidence or expertise.
• A speaker with a nice suit, who stood up straight and spoke clearly,
may appear more serious or knowledgeable.

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 VISUAL COMMUNICATION
• Visual types of communication include signs, maps or drawings as
well as color or graphic design.
• These typically reinforce verbal communication, and they help to
make a point.
• Visual aids can help a speaker remember important topics, give the
audience something to look at, and generally help convey the
message being presented.

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 Barriers in Communication
(that have to do with the COMMUNICATOR)
• Unwillingness to say things differently
• Unwillingness to relate to others differently
• Unwillingness to learn new approaches
• Lack of Self-Confidence
• Lack of Enthusiasm
• Voice quality
• Prejudice

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 Barriers in Communication
(that have to do with the COMMUNICATOR)
• Disagreement between verbal and non-verbal messages
• Negative Self Image
• Lack of Feedback
• Lack of Motivation and Training
• Language and Vocabulary Level
• Lack of Self Awareness

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 Barriers in Communication
(that have to do with the RECEIVER)
• Selective Perception
• Unwillingness to Change
• Lack of Interest in the Topic/Subject
• Prejudice & Belief System
• Rebuttal Instincts
• Personal Value System
• Here-and-Now internal & external factors

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 External Barriers in Communication

• Environment
• The venue
• The effect of noise
• Temperature in the room
• Other People – Status, Education
• Time

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 5 Basic reasons we Do Not Listen
• Listening is Hard Work
• Competition
• The Rush for Action
• Speed differences (120 wpm v/s 360 wpm)
• Lack of Training

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 4 Levels of Listening
• The Non-Listener
• The Marginal Listener
• The Evaluative Listener
• The Active Listener

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 Improving Listening Skills
• By not being Preoccupied
• Being Open Minded & Non Defensive
• Minimizing Interruptions
• Effective Listening is: Hearing, interpreting when necessary,
understanding the message and relating to it.
• By Asking Questions

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COMMUNICATION

• 7% WORDS
• Words are only labels and the listeners put their own
interpretation on speakers words
• 38% PARALINGUISTIC
• The way in which something is said - the accent, tone and
voice modulation is important to the listener.
• 55% BODY LANGUAGE
• What a speaker looks like while delivering a message affects
the listener’s understanding most.

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TYPES OF BODY LANGUAGE
Remember that you are dealing with “PEOPLE”

• (P)OSTURES & GESTURES

• How do you use hand gestures? Stance?
• (E)YE CONTACT
• How’s your “Lighthouse”?
• (O)RIENTATION
• How do you position yourself?
• (P)RESENTATION
• How do you deliver your message?
• (L)OOKS
• Are your looks, appearance, dress important?
• (E)PRESSIONS OF EMOTION
• Are you using facial expressions to express emotion?

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A LISTENER NEEDS MORE INTELLIGENCE THAN
A SPEAKER

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